Negative Declaration(1)

Board Meeting
July 23-24, 2002 Agenda Item 7
California Integrated Waste Management Board Attachment 4
Linda Moulton-Patterson, Chair
1001 I Street  Sacramento, California 95814  (916) 341-6000
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 4025, Sacramento, CA 95812-4025
www.ciwmb.ca.gov Gray Davis
Governor
Winston H.
Hickox Secretary for
Environmental
Protection
Negative Declaration
June 6, 2002
Continued Operations At The Alturas Landfill And
Consideration Of The Issuance Of A Revised Solid Waste
Facility Permit No. 25-AA-0001
Project Summary
Proposed Project
The proposed project is identified in the proposed SWFP and includes the total landfill facility
acreage of 162 acres. This total acreage is then delineated in the proposed SWFP from the
disposal (footprint) acreage of 27.5 acres. The 1978 SWFP did not delineate between disposal
and facility size and identified 85 acres as the landfill and the facility. The identification of 162
acres for the Alturas Landfill Facility reflects descriptions of the site recognized in the Report
of Disposal Site Information (RDSI) and the Regional Water Quality Control Board‟s
(RWQCB‟s) Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs). Disposal at the Alturas Landfill will be
limited to the existing disposal area, or footprint, of 27.5 acres. The proposed tonnage at the
Alturas Landfill will range from 250 to 6,000 tons per year (less than one to 16 tpd,
respectively) with a peak tonnage not to exceed 25 tpd and is a subset of the tonnage reviewed
relative to the existing transfer station. The landfill configuration has been adjusted in response
to changes in landfilling technology and special situations on the landfill. The 1978 SWFP
does not specify a limiting height of the landfill. The height will not be specified in the
proposed SWFP. However, the Closure/Post-Closure Maintenance Plan indicates that highest
grades will be 4,430 feet at Area A, 4,448 feet at Area B, and 4,384 feet for Area C. The
landfill elevation above surrounding topography will be between 4 to 30 feet. The 1978 SWFP
does not specify an estimated closure date for the landfill. The proposed SWFP states that
closure is estimated to commence in the year 2028 at current low waste intake volumes and
commence in 5.2 years if the landfill resumes full operation at the tonnage levels currently
approved for processing at the on-site transfer station. The proposed hours of operation for the
landfill are seven days per week during daylight hours on an as-needed basis, or by special
appointment.
Historical Background
California Environmental Protection Agency
Printed on Recycled Paper
The energy challenge facing California is real. Every Californian needs to take immediate action to reduce energy
consumption. For a list of simple ways you can reduce demand and cut your energy costs, see our Web site at
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/.
Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
The Modoc County Department of Public Works (County) owns and operates the Alturas
Landfill (SWFP No. 25-AA-0001) located one and one-half miles south of Alturas, at the
intersection of County Roads 54, and 60 (Portion of Sections 22 and 23, T42N, R12E,
MDB&M). The Alturas Landfill facility is accessed off County Road 60A. Land uses
surrounding the landfill facility include agriculture to the east, the Modoc National Wildlife
Refuge to the north, and open rangeland to the south and west. There are no residences within
1,000 feet of the Alturas Landfill boundary.
The Alturas Landfill began operating in 1969 as an unlined Class III municipal solid waste
(MSW) landfill. A Solid Waste Facility Permit (SWFP) was first issued on April 18, 1978, for
a Class II-2 landfill. This is the only remaining active landfill in Modoc County. All other
landfills in Modoc County are either closed or in the process of closing. The site improvements
at the landfill include a gatehouse, scales, flare station, equipment maintenance area, and a
recycling drop-off area.
The 1978 SWFP, which is the current operating permit, identifies the Alturas Landfill as an 85-
acre landfill facility that accepts approximately 10 tons per day (tpd) of waste and is open
24 hours-per-day. An attendant is on site from 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. daily. The 1978 SWFP
does not identify a limit on the height of the landfill or an estimated year for the landfill to
close. Additionally, the 1978 SWFP does not distinguish separate waste management units
(WMUs) within the 85 acres.
In August 1996, the Modoc County Planning Department was the lead agency in the preparation,
circulation, and adoption of a Negative Declaration (State Clearinghouse No. 96082008), which is
hereby incorporated by reference, for the construction and operation of a Solid Waste Transfer Station
at the Alturas Landfill facility. In March 1995, Modoc County built the Alturas Transfer Station
(SWFP No. 25-AA-0027) at the landfill site and began transporting municipal solid waste (MSW) to
the Lockwood Landfill near Reno, Nevada.
Current Landfill and Transfer Station Facility Operations
Modoc County generates approximately 6,000 tons of MSW annually (proposed SWFP), which
is an average of approximately 16 tons per day (tpd). Currently, MSW generated within
Modoc County is transported to the Alturas Transfer Station (SWFP No. 25-AA-0027). Nearly
all of the waste accepted at the transfer station is household/residential and commercial
municipal solid waste (MSW) generated within Modoc County. Other wastes requiring special
handling include metals, wood and tires that are stored in a designated area. Dead animals are
also accepted and are properly disposed in a dead animal pit at the landfill.
The transfer station is permitted for 25 tons per day of MSW and is open to the public every
Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday for eight hours per day, excluding holidays.
Summer hours are 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.; winter hours are 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. The site
operator and commercial waste haulers have access to the site seven days per week during
daylight hours. One 190 cubic yard transfer trailer is at the transfer station site at all times. A
second trailer is available for back up, and two trailers can be hauled per day to the Lockwood
Landfill. There is an additional 450 cubic yards of storage capacity within the building.
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
The maximum daily capacity for traffic loading allowed in the SWFP for the transfer station
(and landfill facility) is 144 vehicles per day. A large parking or turnaround area eliminates
any stacking of vehicles on a public roadway.
The landfill is open a few days a year for disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) waste,
dead animals, and septage. In the year 2000, the landfill accepted waste on 20 different days
for a total of 255 tons of waste. The landfill has accepted an average of 1-3 tons of waste per
day since 1995. In addition, wood waste and recyclable metals from the adjacent transfer
station are stockpiled at the landfill.
The County has a 20-year contract to dispose of Modoc County MSW at the Lockwood
Landfill, located near Reno, Nevada. However, in the event that the County is unable to
continue to transport and/or dispose MSW at the Lockwood Landfill, the project proposal
analyzes the disposal of Modoc County‟s MSW at the Alturas Landfill.
According to recent waste boundary investigations by Lawrence and Associates (dated January
30, 2002) at the Alturas Landfill, the site consists of six noncontiguous disposal areas as
follows:
 Area A - 6.5 acres – Closed. Needs re-grading. Received waste from 1980 to 1985.
 Area B - 4.1 acres. Inactive.
 Area B - 3.5 acres. Active (including concrete) on a limited as-needed basis. Received
waste since 1974.
 Area C - 2.5 acres. Closed. Needs re-grading. Received waste from 1972 to 1974.
 Ash and Metal Scrap Pile - 10.22 acres. Inactive
 Dead Animal Disposal Area - 0.1 acre. Active. Will be clean closed.
 Septage Ponds: - 0.8 acre. Active
Agencies Involved in the Permitting of the Alturas Landfill
The Modoc County Department of Public Works is the owner and operator of the Alturas
Landfill and therefore the agency that is carrying out the project. The Lassen County Health
Department is the Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) proposing to issue a revised SWFP No.
25-AA-0001 to the operator. The IWMB is the lead agency. The IWMB‟s Board will consider
concurrence in the issuance of revised SWFP No. 25-AA-0001.
Environmental Setting
The landfill site is situated at the 4,445 foot MSL in the Sierra foothills. The average monthly
temperature at the landfill site exceeds 32 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) eleven months of the year.
The sky is typically clear during the summer and winter months, except during storm events.
During the winter months, the temperature dips below 32 °F, and snow will fall and adhere to
the ground surface, which is typical for the 4,500-foot MSL elevation in the Sierra foothills.
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
Rainfall was measured between 1931 and 1999 with a calculated annual average precipitation
of 12.7 inches. Due to the sandy loam soil texture that dominates the watershed where the
landfill is situated, most of the rainfall is absorbed by the soil and minimal rainfall drains off
the landfill site in surface runoff. The site topography in the landfill vicinity slopes to the north
and east. Surface runoff flows to the South Fork of the Pit River located approximately 2,000
feet north of and approximately 50 feet lower than, the landfill site. Rainfall typically falls
between 1 and 2 inches, 9 months of the year. The entire disposal area is above the 100-year
(24-hour storm event) flood line of the South Fork of the Pit River. Windy conditions are
frequent at the Alturas Landfill, and are associated with the broad open topography where the
landfill is situated.
The landfill is designed for a 100-year, 24-hour storm event, as required by landfill design
regulations in Title 27 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). The final grading plan in
the closure/post-closure maintenance plan identifies the final graded slopes to be less than 33.3
percent in the Joint Technical Document (JTD). The highest point on the property is at 4,449
feet mean sea level (MSL). The disposal area‟s settlement is expected to be approximately two
feet, or between 5 to 15 percent of the disposals mass area. There currently is no artificial
lighting at the site. The existing landfill does not have a leachate collection and removal
system (LCRS), and no permanent landfill gas (LFG) monitoring system. In addition, no LFG
monitoring probes have been installed. Five groundwater-monitoring wells (MWs) have been
installed at the landfill site. MWs are required to be installed up gradient of the groundwater
flow passing underneath the landfill disposal area for background testing of the groundwater.
The MWs installed down gradient of the ground water flow direction traversing underneath the
disposal site are required to be tested for organic and inorganic chemical compounds by the
Regional Water Quality Control Board.
Climatologic Conditions
The climate of the Alturas area is typical of the upper elevations of Northern California plateau
country, with warm dry summers and cold dry winters. The mean temperature is 66 °F during July and
29°F during January. Average annual precipitation since 1931 has been about 13 inches per year.
Yearly average snowfall in Modoc County is 34 inches. Snowfall in the area typically begins in
November and ends in February. Some snowfall has been reported as late as April. Average annual
wind speed has been calculated at 5.2 miles-per-hour and is generally from the southwest.
Landfill Site Geology
The geology at the site is very complex. Available geologic mapping of the site shows the
occurrence of three distinct surface formations.
Alturas Formation (Tqa): Plio-Pleistocene lake deposits in the Alturas Basin belong to the
Alturas Formation. The formation consists of two nearly identical members separated by Plio-
Pleistocene basalt member and the Warm Springs tuff member. The lower and upper
sedimentary members consist of flat lying; light colored sandstone, gravel, diatomite, and tuff,
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
having a total thickness of about 800 feet. The lower member is believed to be underlain by
basalt and rocks of both the Turner Creek Formation and the Cedarville Series. The Alturas
Formation is widespread both at the surface and at depth in the Alturas Groundwater Basin.
The formation consists of moderately consolidated flat-lying beds of tuff, ashy sandstone, and
diatomite. All of the materials were deposited in lakes, which occupied this area at various
times from the latter part of the Miocene Epoch to the Pleistocene Epoch. The lower members
of the Alturas Formation are the principle water-yielding materials in the Alturas Basin. Beds
within the two members range in permeability from moderate to high, contain both semi-
confined and confined water, and provide abundant water to irrigation wells.
WarmSpringsTuff (TQvtt): Extensive Plio-Pleistocene pyroclastic rocks, occur in the
Alturas Basin. They are referred to as the “Warm Springs Tuff” portion of the Alturas
Formation. The rock is made up of a sequence of from 100 to 400 feet of gray to brown,
massive pumice lapilli tuff, light-colored ashy sandstone, and resistant rim rock areas formed
by basalt-like welded tuff. Numerous chimney rocks caused by weathering of the massive ash
flow tuff are one of the distinguishing characteristics of the Warm Springs Tuff region.
Intermediate Alluviam (Qal): The toe areas of alluvial fans merge into alluvial plains
composed of intermediate alluvium of recent geologic age. The alluvium generally consists of
unconsolidated sand and silt with some lenses of clay. It is usually not over 100 feet in
thickness. In general, the intermediate alluvium is only moderately permeable; however, lenses
of coarse material are present which are capable of providing good quantities of ground water
to shallow irrigation wells.
Regional Geology
The geology of the Modoc County region is primarily comprised of Cenozoic volcanic and
alluvial deposits. Quaternary alluvium and Plio-Pleistocene sandstone, shale, and gravel
deposits are found throughout the region generally associated with lakeshores and river valleys.
The northwest and southwest portions of the region are dominated by recent Holocene volcanic
flow rocks and minor pyroclastic deposits. The rest of the region is heavily faulted and is
dominated by Tertiary volcanic flow rocks and pyroclastic and volcanic mudflow deposits with
some Quaternary volcanic deposits in the north-central portion. Soils in the area are very
shallow (12 to 20 inches) and consist primarily of Casuse Sandy Loam. Beneath the soil lies a
hard but workable tuff layer.
Regional Faults
Surprise Valley Fault: The Surprise Valley Fault is identified as having Holocene activity
(younger than 10,000 years) based on slip rates associated with vertical offset of Holocene
alluvial fans. This normal fault generally trends north south, tracing an estimated 87 km of the
border between Surprise Valley and the Warner Mountains to the west. The midpoint of the
fault lies approximately 20 miles to the east of the Alturas Landfill site. The Maximum
Moment Magnitude (Mmax) of this fault is calculated to be 7.0.
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
Likely Fault: The Likely Fault is a Mid to Late Pleistocene, right-lateral, strike-slip fault that
lies approximately 12 miles to the southwest of the Alturas Landfill site. The general trend of
this fault is northwest southwest for its estimated length of 64 km. The Mmax of the Likely
Fault is calculated to be 6.9.
Goose Lake Fault: The northern portion of Goose Lake Fault trends north to south. It lies
between the eastern shore of Goose Lake, and the Warner Mountains. The southern portion of
the fault trends northwest to southeast, and traces the border between the eastern edge of the
Fandango Valley, and the western foothills of the Warner Mountains. This late Pleistocene
normal fault lays approximately 30 miles north-northeast of the Alturas Landfill and has a
length estimated to be 57 km. The Mmax of the Goose Lake Fault is calculated to be 6.8.
Local Faults: As indicated by the 1994 Fault Activity Map of California (California Division
of Mines and Geology), fault activity in the immediate vicinity (within 10 miles) of the Alturas
Landfill is limited to a small number of Mid-Pleistocene and older faults. These faults are of
various orientations and show no evidence of being directly associated with the regional faults
previously mentioned. Considering the relative trace lengths (most are less than 5 km),
orientation, and age of fault activity, these minor faults show no significant threat to the Alturas
Landfill site.
Hydrogeology
Regional Hydrogeology
The primary regional drainage system discharges into the Pit River. The Pit River branches
into its north and south forks about one-half mile north and slightly east of the Alturas Landfill.
The soils in the area are generally very shallow (12 to 20 inches), Casuse sandy loam. The soil
is underlain by a hard but workable tuff layer. The terrain is characterized by gently undulating
hills, sloping generally to the northeast toward the Pit River. The surface terrain slopes gently
to the north and east where surface runoff flows to the South Fork of the Pit River, more than
0.25 mile to the east. The majority of the site is above 4,350 feet mean sea level (MSL), United
States Geologic Survey (USGS) Datum. The average annual rainfall fluctuates between 10 to
13 inches. Usable groundwater is located approximately 100 to 125 feet below the ground
surface. Perched groundwater has been encountered along the northern edge of the landfill site
between 10 and 30 feet below the ground surface. The entire disposal footprint is above the
100-year, 24-hour storm-event flood line of the South Fork of the Pit River. There are no
springs on-site or located within one mile of the perimeter of the disposal area.
Hydraulic Conductivity
The hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer material has not been determined in the field.
However, based on the geologic logs showing that groundwater occurs primarily in silt-like
material, clay-silt to sandy sand, an estimate of the hydraulic conductivity is between 0.15 feet
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
per day (0.72 x 10-3 centimeters per second) in porous sand, and 30 feet per day in the
compacted material. Soil porosity in the vertical percolation layer is between 45 to 67 percent.
Water Quality
Five groundwater-monitoring wells were installed in 1987. In accordance with the Waste
Discharge Requirements (WDRs), these wells are sampled and tested for contaminants on a
quarterly basis. Monitoring wells (MWs) OB-1, OB-4, and OB-5 have shown slightly rising
total dissolved solids (TDS) and electrical conductivity values since mid-1995. MW OB-2 has
shown consistently higher levels of antimony, arsenic, chloride, conductivity, iron, and TDS
than the other four wells. Organic compounds: 1,1,1 –Tri-chloroethane, ethyl benzene, and bis
(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate are found in MW OB-2. Analysis in the first quarter of 1998 showed
no detection of volatile organic carbons (VOCs) in MW OB-2. MW OB-2 is located in the
lower portion of a canyon that was used for waste disposal primarily between 1978 and 1988.
The distance between the fill area and MW OB-2 is approximately 1,500 feet. Based on a
groundwater velocity of 120 feet per year, it is estimated that it would take more than 12 years
for a release to reach MW OB-2.
Current Landfill Facility Project Proposal
The proposed project analyzed in this ND is continued operations and a revision of the 1978
Alturas Landfill‟s SWFP No. 25-AA-0001.
The project includes:
 Disposal of construction and demolition debris
 Storage of metals
 Storage or burning and subsequent burning of wood waste
 Emergency disposal of waste from natural disaster
 Serve as a short-term or long-term backup disposal site for the transfer station should
conditions prevent the hauling of waste to the Lockwood Landfill in Nevada.
Alruras Landfill Compliance History with State Minimum Standards
See Attachment A
Changes in Design and Operation
The LEA conducted a Permit Review Report in May 2000 and determined that there have not
been any significant changes in design and operation since the permit was issued in 1978.
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
However, the LEA is proposing to revise the permit to address changes, and to adequately
describe the Alturas Landfill operational and design parameters. The following table
summarizes the proposed changes to the permit.
Table 1--Summary of Permit Changes
1978 Issued Permit 2002 Proposed Permit
The 1978 permit allowed 24 The proposed permit restricts
Hours hour per day operations. the operations to daylight
hours.
The 1978 permit stated that The propose permit does not
the landfill received 10 tons specify a peak tonnage. The
of waste per day LEA instead will restrict
waste throughput to that
generated from within Modoc
Tonnage county, approximately 6,000
tons per year, or an average of
16 TPD. On-site transfer
station is permitted for 25
TPD. Waste disposed at the
landfill would be processed
through the Transfer Station
Not specified Not specified. The closure
Height plan indicates that highest
grade will be 4,448 feet MSL
Estimated Closure Date 2005 (at 10 - 16 tons per day) 2028 (at 1 - 3 ton per day)
Traffic Not specified Not specified
Permitted Facility 85 acres 162 acres
Boundary
The 1978 permit did not 27.5 acres total (3.5 acres of
specify a disposal footprint Area B is the only active
Disposal Footprint
but only stated that it was an disposal area)
85-acre site.
SWFP Update Analysis
Permitted Acreage:
The 1988 Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) No. 88-037 recognized 162 acres, as
identified on Attachment B (map). Attachment B states that the site currently comprises
approximately 50 acres of disposal area, and 112 acres for expansion. The 1998 Siting Element
(SCH #98092084) identifies 162 acres. The SWFP allows 85 acres for disposal. The 1977
WDRs (#77-26) and earlier RDSIs support total facility acreage of 162 acres, but only 85 acres
originally approved for disposal. However, in the 1977 WDRs and maps, two older disposal
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
areas are identified that are outside of the 85-acre disposal „footprint‟. The first had already
closed; the second was in use at the time and closed in 1978.
Currently Modoc County does not have immediate plans to expand the footprint of the
permitted disposal area. Various documents indicate that waste has been disposed on between
15 and 50 acres of the site. Development of the existing permitted waste disposal footprint will
be in compliance with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Subtitle D liner
requirements, or an approved engineered alternative liner system as approved by the RWQCB.
The Joint Technical Document (JTD), Closure/Post-Closure Maintenance and Final Grading
Plans, and closure cost estimates will need to be revised prior to implementing an expansion
outside the current footprint.
Waste Volume
The SWFP describes a daily average throughput of “…approximately 10 tons of combined
waste”. The proposed SWFP will permit an average of approximately 16 tons per day (tpd)
with a peak daily maximum throughput of 20 tpd.
The 1988 WDRs indicates that 150 cubic yards of MSW per day were accepted. At a standard
conversion rate of 250 pounds per cubic yard, this would be equivalent to 18.75 tpd. The 1998
Siting Element states that the landfill receives 16 tpd, with a 20 tpd maximum. The 2000 JTD
also states that the landfill used to receive between 10 and 20 tpd. The 2000 JTD also indicates
that the landfill used to receive under full operations, a total of approximately 5,000 tons per
year, an average of 13.7 tons per calendar day.
Landfill Final Grading/Design
The 1988 WDRs discuss cut and cover, and using trenches for solid waste disposal. The
existing SWFP and the Siting Element do not address landfilling methods or the final landfill
design. The 2000 JTD mentions the use of the trench-disposal (existing) method, with some
area-disposal methods used to bring waste disposal areas up to a grade to provide for adequate
drainage.
Updates in the landfill design include an engineered closure cap to ensure the long-term
stability of site slopes and landfill ancillary facilities throughout the post closure period and to
minimize soil loss due to erosion. The closure grade will be engineered in order to allow
gradient flow (water runoff) from the landfill during storm events and to minimize the amount
of precipitation that can permeate the landfill mass. This is not a change to the SWFP.
Landfill Excavation Depth and Disposal Height
No maximum excavation depth or disposal height (elevation) has been determined. Some older
(1980 – 1985) existing disposal areas indicate heights of 5 to 15 feet above previous or adjacent
elevations. The 2000 JTD indicates that the landfill structure or mass will have a final
elevation of no more than 10 feet above base grade at the toe, whereas the horizontal top deck
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
will be tied into native surrounding grade levels. These figures are consistent with the existing
SWFP, and will not change in the proposed SWFP.
Capacity
The current SWFP does not address landfill capacity. The JTD considered only remaining
capacity of the existing footprint, and that was equivalent to 186,000 cubic yards. The 1988
WDRs state that the landfill has a capacity of 1,600,000 cubic yards, with approximately
870,000 remaining. The 1998 Siting Element states that the landfill has a total capacity of
3,225,694 cubic yards. Modoc County does not foresee, or have immediate plans to expand
outside its existing footprint of 27.5 acres. However, should the need arise, the use of liners for
a lateral expansion of the landfill will require Water Board approval, and a revision of the JTD.
The landfill‟s engineered design has allowed for a more precise estimate of capacity and
landfill closure dates. The proposed revised SWFP identifies a landfill design capacity of
1,600,000 cubic yards. This has been approved by the RWQCB. It is within the 3,225,694
cubic yards, and does not affect the 15-year remaining County landfill capacity stated in the
Siting Element.
Landfill Life
The current SWFP does not address landfill life. The JTD shows the landfill life under reduced
operations as 50 years, and under full operations on the existing footprint of 27.5 acres, as 4.6
years. The 1988 WDRs indicate a site life of 15 years (2003). The Siting Element indicates a
landfill life of at least 30 years under reduced operations, and closure in the year 2028 under
full operations. Apparently, the Siting Element in its landfill life and capacity discussions did
not address post-RCRA Subtitle D liner requirements. The County does not foresee
interruption in the 20-year contract with Lockwood Landfill (15 years remaining), but has at
least 4.6 years of site life over the existing footprint if needed. The proposed revised SWFP
will identify a landfill estimated closure date of 2028.
Operating Hours
The current SWFP states that the site is open 24 hours-per-day, and is attended from 7:00 A.M.
to 4:00 P.M. daily. The proposed revised SWFP will identify operating hours of “daylight
hours, seven days per week”, the same hours as the adjacent Transfer Station.
Traffic
The current SWFP does not address traffic vehicle counts. It is expected that if the landfill is used for
disposal, the number of vehicles per day accessing the disposal area would be less than, or equivalent
to, the number of vehicles currently accessing, and permitted for, the adjacent Transfer Station (146
vehicles per day).
Types of Waste
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
The current SWFP allows the acceptance of residential and commercial municipal solid waste
(MSW), dead animals, tires, metals, wood waste, septic tank pumpings, and sewage sludge.
The WDRs state that wood waste, commercial and household refuse, demolition waste, and
septages are accepted. The Siting Element states that MSW, tires, sludge, wood waste, and
metals are accepted at the landfill. The proposed revised SWFP will include the same wastes
as approved in the existing SWFP.
Salvaging
The current SWFP did not address salvaging; however, it does identify that metals are stockpiled and
routinely collected by a recycling firm. The JTD discusses salvaging operations. The proposed SWFP
will permit salvaging in accordance with state minimum standards, as is the case in the SWFP for the
existing transfer station on-site.
Service Area
Modoc County only.
Surrounding Land Use
The SWFP states that the land use within 1,000 feet of the landfill site consists of marginal agriculture,
the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, and open rangeland.
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Negative Declaration · Alturas Landfill, Modoc County 2/8/2011
Works Referenced
1. Application for Solid Waste Facility Permit Review, Modoc County Department of
Public Works (owner and operator) to the Lassen, Modoc, Plumas and Sierra Counties
Local Enforcement Agency (LEA). April 2, 2002
2. Waste-Boundary Investigation at Alturas Landfill, Alturas, California, Revision No. 1.
Lawrence and Associates. January 30, 2002
3. Joint Technical Document (JTD), June 2002. Preliminary Closure and Postclosure
Maintenance Plans (CPMP). December 1999.
4. Modoc County Siting Element (SE). September 9, 1998
5. Draft Alturas Landfill Report of Disposal Site Information (RDSI). 1997
6. Negative Declaration for the Alturas Solid Waste Transfer Station, State Clearinghouse
No. 96082008. Circulated August 1996.
7. Report of Disposal Site Information. January 26, 1989.
8. Periodic Site Review (PSR). January 26, 1989.
9. Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) Number 88-037. February 26, 1988.
10. Alturas Landfill Report of Disposal Site Information. November 11, 1988.
11. Solid Waste Facility Permit (SWFP) N0. 25-AA-0001. April 18, 1978.
12. Modoc National Wildlife Refuge website, http://www.r1.fws.gov/modoc/default.htm
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